The Man Who Came to Dinner

KAUFMAN, George S. and Moss Hart

Published by Random House, New York, 1939

About this Item

Octavo, 195pp., illustrated. A very good, crisp copy in the publisher's beige cloth, lacking the dust jacket. Spine darkened and gently cocked, else a nice example. A marvelous copy SIGNED and warmly INSCRIBED by Kaufman on the front free endpaper in the year of publication, to someone close to him: "To Mother B - With all my love, and [underlined] then some - George December, 1939." A news clipping entitled "Kaufman in Woollcott Role," which includes a photograph of Kaufman in the title role of this play (which is based on--and dedicated to--his friend and fellow Algonquin Round Table member Alexander Woollcott), is tipped onto the front paste-down. Woollcott himself had played in the role of Sheridan Whiteside in the West Coast production, until Kaufman stood in for him after Woollcott fell ill. A notation, possibly in Kaufman's or his wife's hand, reads "This was in Hollywood paper - thought you might like to see it." Another bookseller has speculated that "Mother B" was probably Kaufman's mother-in-law. Kaufman's wife Beatrice's maiden name was Bakrow, and the concise, but warm inscription and the amusing news clipping seem to point in the direction of a familial inscription. Copies of this play signed by Kaufman are notably scarce in the trade; we found just one in auction records, which was also inscribed by Kaufman to some of his in-laws. Seller Inventory # 11499

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Man Who Came to Dinner

Publisher: Random House, New York

Publication Date: 1939

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very good

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: First Edition.